MINI Australia has announced a new drop top version of the MINI John Cooper Works range. With prices starting at $54,900 and deliveries expected to begin in by the end of May, buyers have even more choice from what seemingly is a single-model automaker.
Of course, that isn’t the case, proving that the MINI brand has real resilience and that the market for hatchbacks of varying sizes is still going strong – though not as strong as it once was.
While the appeal of the sportiest John Cooper Works MINI had not been in dispute in the traditional 3-door hatch body style, neither did it fade much when offered as a 5-door Countryman, the JCW Convertible might have more to prove.
That said, it does come rather well equipped, especially for our wide open roads and coastal vistas that naturally suits a cabriolet. The new MINI JCW sits at the top of the Convertible range, boasting a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that churns out 170kW and 320Nm, which is enough to send the car to a top speed of 240km/h while the 0-100km/h sprint takes just 6.5 seconds.
The engine is also equipped with efficiency features to stretch the car’s range between fuel stops. MINI claim that the new JCW Convertible can return up to 6.2-litres/100km in a combined cycle, aided by features such as auto stop/start, brake energy regeneration and active cooling flaps.
Being the sportiest of the bunch, the JCW Convertible gains all of the trick go-faster kit found in the JCW hatch such as Dynamic Damper Control, JCW-tuned suspension, JCW sports seats, and 18-inch John Cooper Works Cup light-alloy wheels. The car’s six-speed automatic can be swapped for a six-speed manual as a no-cost option.
In terms of its defining feature, the new MINI JCW Convertible need just 18 seconds for the roof to be fully retracted and can be operated with just one switch at speeds of up to 30km/h.
For more on MINI vehicles, including prices and specifications, check out our Showroom.
